how to succeed

The key is to be true to your community's norms and values. You can't just force yourself on people and try to sell them something they don't want - that's good advice for marketers generally, but particularly on community-driven sites like MySpace. You have to find ways to add value to your members' lives while being consistent with your brand's identity.

Chris DeWolfe

Source: Business 2.0: How To Succceed: Keep Social Networks Social: http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/biz2/howtosucceed/2.html

As you start building the product, don't assume that you know all the answers. Listen to the community and adapt. We had a lot of our own ideas about how the service would evolve. Coming from PayPal and eBay, we saw YouTube as a powerful way to add video to auctions, but we didn't see anyone using our product that way, so we didn't add features to support it.

Chad Hurley

Source: Business 2.0: How To Succceed: Give Your Startup a Fighting Chance: http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/biz2/howtosucceed/6.html

The rules of engagement around building a brand have changed significantly over the past 10 to 15 years. Where companies at one time could spread their message through traditional marketing, consumers now seek an enduring emotional connection with the companies they patronize. The foundation of that connection is the most important characteristic of building a world-class brand: trust. Trust with your people and trust with your customers.

Howard Schultz

Source: Business 2.0: How To Succceed: Dare to Be a Social Entrepreneur: http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/biz2/howtosucceed/5.html